UN calls for a peace plan at Geneva talks

GENEVA,(ST)-“We’re working very hard for a meeting as soon as possible. We’re in contact with the parties, and with the Security Council members, that are involved. But we hope very much that the meeting will take place, and soon,” the UN’s deputy secretary-general Jan Eliasson told AFP.

Amid growing speculation that the talks could be held from June 10, Eliasson declined to be drawn on potential dates but confirmed that the target was still next month.

“It’s being worked out progressively now with the parties and we will have to wait for those consultations before we can conclude exactly how the conference will take place,” he said.

Last Friday, UN chief Ban Ki-moon and Russia agreed that a peace conference should be held as soon as possible.

The main aim, Eliasson underlined, is to try to implement a peace plan drawn up on June 30 last year at a Geneva conference involving Western powers, Russia and China, Turkey, and the Arab League.

M.D